Foto Focus: Allianz Arena
This week marks the fourth anniversary of the opening of the Allianz Arena (or Fußball Arena München for UEFA-organised matches), home to FC Bayern München and TSV 1860 München and made famous during the 2006 World Cup. A number of remarkable photos of the stadium’s unique aesthetic have appeared on Flickr over the years, so today we take a look at it from up close, afar and in all its colour-shifting glory.
The stadium, constructed of 2,874 ETFE-foil air panels, famously changes colour depending on whether the home team is Bayern (red), 1860 (blue) or the German national team (white). Allianz has a 30 year contract for naming rights, though the stadium was known as the FIFA World Cup Stadium Munich for the 2006 World Cup for sponsorship reasons.
The Arena. By Eldejo.
Up Close. By Pianoman75
From afar. By blubbla
Inside. By Brain farts.
Stairway. By manuela.martin.
Press area. By emphasis.
Seating. By Daveybot.
Stairwell. By mikmunich.
Parking. By Probek.
Clearing the snow. By hcm80.
Legoland. By POPOEVER.
ETFE-foil sample. By caprilemon.
In white. By Digitaler Lumpensammler.
In blue. By Digitaler Lumpensammler.
In red. By hipydeus.
In red & white. By Probek.
The Arena’s aesthetics are undeniably stunning. I’d be interested in hearing from those who have gone there how they felt about it in person, because aside from the exterior colour-glow, there’s an eerie feel of THX-1138 to it all.
And indeed, the stadium has been a subject of a stringent critique from many supporters unhappy with the restrictions and conditions inside the Arena. Does the experience match the adornment at Allianz Arena?
Photo credits: hipydeus, Pianoman75, blubbla, probek, Digitaler Lumpensammler, Brain farts, eldejo, emphasis, Daveybot, hcm80, mikmunich, POPOEVER, caprilemon and manuela.martin on Flickr.
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Tom Dunmore is the founder and editor of Pitch Invasion. Follow him @pitchinvasion on Twitter.
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The stadium is gorgeous and reminds me of 2001 a Space Odyssey (and Mark Von Bommel is Hal). However, everytime I see this style of design, I fear in 10 years it will go the way of Epcot….
Well, um, it depends. The stadium is certainly a stunner – from the outside. It possibly can’t match that experience if you visit it inside, as in how can it be better or even similar if it’s such a beauty. There’s too much concrete and too few restrooms when Bayern Munich plays (69.000 people attended virtually every game since opening).
But the view for the majority of the attendees is certainly better than in the older Olympic Stadium and the reasons for some (not many!) supporters to be unhappy with the Arena lies certainly not in the architecture. And that’s true even for the fans of the other Munich club. But the prawn sandwich areas are nice and comfortable, I can tell you that, too. You don’t even have to watch the game.
Anyone remember Rollerball, the 70’s sci-fi? It was set in Houston but used another Munich landmark, the BMW towers (see the ‘from afar’ pic), as Houston Energy’s corporate HQ. If the Arena had been around then you can bet your bottom dollar it would have been used in the film. In this age of identikit stadia it’s nice to see you can be brave in your design.
Anyone remember Rollerball, the 70’s sci-fi
classic film rember this as a teen stunning building having said that